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Patented Sept. 20, |898.

E. A. TRAPP.

E L E V A T 0 R A (Application med Apr. 1 1` 1898,)

2 Sheeis--Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Sept. 20, |898.

E. A. TRAPP.

E LEVTO H.-

(Applimnion me.; Apr. 11, 189s.)

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

/N VEA/TOR ATTORNEY,

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EDWARD A. TBArP, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,929, dated September 20, 1898..

I Application filed April 11,1893. Serial No. 677,181. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. TRAPP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in elevators; and it consists in a novel safety appliance applied to the bottom of the car or hoist for cushioning the latter in case of a fall of the same due to the breaking of the hoisting-cable or other cause.

The preferred embodiment of my invention comprises a vertical canvas cylinder open at its lower end and at its upper'end ldirectly connected with the car or hoist or to a plat form secured to said car or hoist. The vertical cylindrical cushion is provided with means for retaining it in its perpendicular position and when desired may be formed of several concentric canvas cylinders, one being Within the other and suitably separated in order to form a series of air-chambers. In case of a fallr of the elevator the flexible canvas air-containing cylinder or cushion will descend with the car or hoist and its lower end will be closed by coming into contact with the base of the elevator shaft or well, and upon the happening of any such occurrence the air within the cylinder or cushion will be coniined and cushion the elevator car or hoist, and thus relieve the occupants of the car or hoist from undue shock or other injury. Upon the fall of the car or hoist the walls of the cushion will collapse in irregular folds and between these folds imprison portions of the air, and thus along the walls of the cushion, as Well as within the interior thereof, will be confined a sufficient quantity of air to suitably cushion the car or hoist. The walls of the cushion maybe perforated in parts in order that upon the fall of the car or hoist the air Within the chamber formed by the cylindrical cushionmay escape through the Walls of the latter `in limited quantities, 'and thus prevent the checking of the fall of the car or hoist too suddenly.

The invention isnot limited to the formation ofthe cylindrical air-'cushion of canvas, since it may be made of other pliable or iiexible fabrics; but l recommend the use of canvas for this purpose on account of its strength and texture. Noris the invention limited to the use of the cylindrical air-chamber, since the Walls of the fabric forming the air-chamb'er may be made'of elliptical orother shape,

and, if preferred, may be given a square outline corresponding with the shape in crosssection of the shaft through which the elevator car or hoist travels.

I illustrate and describe in this application the preferred embodiment of the invention, and the invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which-` Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through an air-cushion embodying the invention and shown applied to the bottom of an elevator-car, the lower end of the cushion being above the base-ring, also shown in section, applied upon the iioor of the lower end of the shaft or well. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of same, showing the condition of the air-cushion when compressed due to the fall ofv the car or hoist. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of same on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified' form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is adragrammatic view indicating the application of two of the cylindrical air-cushions to the bottom of an elevator car or hoist.

In the drawings, A designates the usual or any suitable elevator car or hoist, and B the cylindrical air-cushion therefor.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3 the air-cushion B is formed of a series of concentric cylinders C, as more clearly illustrated in Figs. l and 3, these cylinders C being connected With one another, as at D, but suitably spaced, so `as to form air-chambers between themselves. The exterior one of the cylinders composing the air-cushion B Will preferably be encompassed by the metallic bands E, and upon some or all, if desired, of these bands Will be secured the guide-rollers F, Aas shown in Fig:.3, which will travel upon the usual guides found in elevator-shafts. for the guidance of the cars or hoists, and thereby the cylinder or cushion B Will be retained in its vertical position and not be swayed by any rapid motion of the car Ioo il or hoist. The lower end of the cylinder or cushion B will for strength be provided with an angle-iron band G, secured to and passing along the lower edges of the cylinder or cushion B, and the upper end of the cylinder or cushion B will likewise be provided with an angleiron band H, by which the cylinder or cushion may be secured to the bottom of the car or to a platform I, adapted for connection with the bottom of the car or hoist.

I prefer to provide the upper and lower ends of the cylinder or cushion B with the series of apertures J, through which in case of a fall of the car a portion of the air within the cylinder B may escape under the compression exerted by the weight of the car.`

The apertures J constitute vents and will allow of a gradual settling of the car or platform.

At the base of the air shaft or well will preferably be provided a raised rim K to receive the edges of the lower end of the cylinder B when the latter descends, the purpose of the rim K being to evenly receive the lower end of the cylinder B and to retain the same in proper alinement with the other. portions of the cylinder and with the car. The rim K affords a suitable base upon which the lower edges of the cylinder B may strike when the emergency arises by which the car or hoistis permitted to fall.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3 the cylinder B is shown as having several inner concentric cylinders C, and this form of construction is preferred, since thereby several separate air-cushions are provided, and the bursting of any one section of the composite cylinder thus formed would not be prejudicial to the general object 1n View.

I do not wish to limit the invention in every instance to the employment of the several concentric cylinders for the air-cushion, but to claim the composite air-cushion thus formed as a part of my invention.

The upper end of the cylinder B is substantially closed either by the platform I or by the application of the upper end of said cylinder directly to the bottom of the car or hoist. It is not necessary that the upper end of the cylinder B should be closed in an airtight manner; but it is necessary that the upper end of said cylinder should be so nearly closed as to prevent any rapid escape of the air through the same. The lower end of the cylinder B is open andis never closed except when in case of a fall of the car or hoist said end strikes the bottom of the elevator shaft or Well and is closed thereby, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The cylinder B is to constitute a permanent part of the car or hoist and to constantly afford a safety air-cushion which will protect the car or hoist and the passengers therein from undue shock in case of the breakage of the hoisting-cable or the happening of any other emergency which will result in the fall or unsafe descent of the car or hoist. The

striking of the lower end of the cylinder B upon the iioor of the elevator shaft orwell closes the lower end of the cylinder B, and the air confined within said cylinder then becomes compressed by the falling car or hoist and is caused to exert a gradual retarding resistance to the continued downward movement of the car or hoist, and thus the latter is cushioned and relieved from undue shock. Upon the fall of the car or hoist the walls of the cylinder B, being of flexible or pliable fabric, willcollapse into irregular folds, and within these folds will be confined portions of the air, and thus the walls of the cylinder will in themselves constitute air-cushions and coact with the general air-cushion formed within the interior of the cylinder B.

The length and cross-section of the aircylinders B will vary according to the length of the elevator-shaft, and the loading capacity of the car or platform and said cylinders B may be employed singly or in pairs, Fig. G indicating two such cylinders applied to the bottom of one car or hoist. The cylinders B illust-rated are circular in cross-section; but it is apparent that the invention is not limited to the making of a circular air-cushion, since the cushion in cross-section may be made to correspond with the shape of the elevator-shaft through which the car or hoist travels or be given any other desired shape in cross-section.

In Fig. 4 I illustrate a modified form of the invention in which the cylinder B is not providedwith the guiding-rollers F, (shown in Fig. 3,) but is retained in its vertical position by guide-rods L, secured at their lower ends to the angle-iron rim M around the lower end of the cylinder B, and thence extending upward-through guides N and at their upper ends passing through the guides O. The guides N are secured to a band P, passing around the cylinder B, and said guides N eX- tend outward from said band P in order that the upper ends of the rods L may be outward beyond the vertical plane of the sides of the elevator car or hoist A, so that in caseof accident the upper ends of said rods may pass upward along the exterior of said car or hoist. The cylinder B shown in Fig. 4 corresponds with the exterior cylinder B shown in Fig. 1 and is secured to a platformI, connected with the bottom of the car or hoist A.

The cylinder B shown in Fig. 4: is also pro-v illustrates, diagrammatically, the outer bend of the lower portion of the guide-rod L of IOO IIO

Fig. 4, which brings said rod into alinement with the guiding-eye O of the platform I, and the left-hand side of Fig. 5 indicates more particularly the radial position of the guides N, through which the rods L pass at about their middle portions.

The operation of theinvention will probably be fully understood from the foregoing description, and the invention while being a permanent part of the car will only come into actual use in the event of an emergency resulting in the fall of the car or hoist. Upon the falling of the car or hoist the lower end of the cylinder B will strike the lower end of the elevator shaft or well and be thereby closed, and the air thus confined within the cylinder B will constitute the air-cushion, which will retard the descent of the car or hoist and relieve the passengers therein from undue shock. During the usual travel of the car and also during any fall of the car the cylinder B is kept into proper alinement by the guiding-rollers F or by the rods L of Fig. 4, or by any other means which may be substituted for said rollers or said rods. The various means will suggest themselves for preserving the cylinder B in proper vertical alinement, and hence but two forms of such means are illustrated in the drawings. I recommend that the cylinders B be made from canvas or sail-cloth; but I do not of course limit the invention to the use of any special pliable or flexible fabric for the construction of the cylinders B. The canvas or sail-cloth is a desirable material in the construction of the cylinders B, since it is readily attainable, strong and durable, and would upon the falling of the car or hoist and the compression of the cylinder B permit a limited quantity of the imprisoned air to escape through its meshes, and thus the cylinder would not be likely to burst and the car, although cushioned, would be enabled to gradually settle down.` During the rapid falling of the car the air within the cylinder B becomes somewhat compressed and the cylinder at such time acts in the nature of a brake for the car.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with the car or hoist, the air-cushion suspended therefrom and being of flexible or pliable material open at its lower end and composed of two or more concentric vertical cylinders or portions; substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the car or hoist, the suspended air-cushion of flexible or pliable material and open at its lower end and applied to said car or hoist to be carried thereby, and means for maintaining said cushion in vertical alinement during the travel of the car; substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the car or hoist, the vertical air-cushion of flexible or pliable material open at its lower end and secured to said car or hoist and the rim at the base of the elevator shaft or well to receive the lower edges of said air-cushion upon the falling of the car or hoist; substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the car or hoist the air-cushion of flexible or pliable material suspended therefrom and open at its lower end and in its side walls provided with vent-apertures; substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the car or hoist, the suspended air-cushion of iiexible material secured to said car or hoist and provided with means for retaining its walls in alinement during the travel of the car and permitting said walls to collapse into folds upon the fall of the car and the contact of the lower end of the cushion with the base of the elevator shaft or well; substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with the car or hoist, the air-cushion of flexible or pliable material secured to the lower end of the car or hoist and open at its lower end and the guiding-rollers carried by said cushion to engage the usual guideways for the car or hoist; substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the car or hoist, the air-cushion suspended from the bottom of the car or hoist and composed of several concentric connected cylinders of flexible or pliable fabric open at their lower ends and substantially closed at their upper ends; substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with the car or hoist, a flexible or pliable air-receptacle suspended from said car or hoist and carried thereby, said receptacle being open to freely admit the air and adapted on the fall of the car-or hoist to cushion the latter; substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the car or hoist, a iiexible or pliable air-receptacle subdivided into two or more compartments and carried by said car or hoist, said receptacle being open to freely admit the air and adapted on the fall of the car or hoist to cushion the latter; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of April, A. D. 1898.

EDWARD A. TRAPP.

Witnesses:

CHAs. C. GILL, E. Jos. BELKNAP.

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